Alkaline electrochemical cells are commercially available in cell sizes commonly known as LR6 (AA), LR03 (AAA), LR14 (C) and LR20 (D). The cells have a cylindrical shape that must comply with the dimensional standards that are set by organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission. The electrochemical cells are utilized by consumers to power a wide range of electrical devices, for example, clocks, radios, toys, electronic games, film cameras generally including a flashbulb unit, as well as digital cameras.
Battery manufacturers have made great strides to improve the capacity of the cells to improve the length of time that electrical devices can be powered, while at the same time complying with the applicable dimensional standards for each cell size. As the shape and size of the batteries are often fixed, battery manufacturers must modify cell characteristics to provide increased performance. For example, battery manufacturers generally seek to maximize the total amount of active material, including both the positive electrode (cathode) material and negative electrode (anode) material.
Due to consumers' increasing need for high-capacity electrochemical cells offering maximal run-time, there is a constant need for improved electrochemical cell constructions offering improved discharge performance.